The beauty of a taqueria is in the authentic food, served straight from the hands of native cooks who have spent lifetimes mastering these recipes. Iguana Mia owes its longevity to its fun atmosphere and professional service.

El Tarasco opened on Pine Island Road in Cape Coral in March, the second outpost of the beloved original in LaBelle.

While never bad on my visits, El Tarasco is neither supremely authentic, nor extremely fun. But with careful maneuvering one can eat well here.

Start at the full-liquor bar where sweetly tangy margaritas pack a firm kick of tequila; enough to perk you up without knocking you out. Negro Modelo is served on tap, too (a nice touch).

A heaping basket of warm chips accompanies a cool puree of fresh salsa. Appetizers include six varieties of nachos – not what you’re craving with free chips piled in front of you. You’re better off with an order of queso dip, served creamy and white with a subtle tingle of spice. Or with a simple cup of guacamole bright with lime.

There are platters of fajitas — thin, tender cuts of beef and chicken strewn with peppers and onions.

Tacos are stuffed with fistfuls of meat, be it strips of carne asada or flaky fillets of fish, with diced onion and cilantro for garnishing. You won’t go hungry at El Tarasco. But you will find yourself reaching for the salt and pleading for limes, if ever you can get the attention of your server who has a way of disappearing for lengthy stretches.

Refills aren’t part of the El Tarasco lexicon. Soda cups and margarita glasses sat empty on my visits. Even when the servers were around, their focus was singular — serve the food, clear the plates, present the check. No time for, “Can I get you anything else?” Not even a quick, “How is it?”

Had they asked I would have raved about the tamales, soft rectangles of masa dough stuffed with shreds of beef and melted cheeses. I would have lavished praise on the chicken enchiladas filled with juicy chicken and slathered in a savory brick-red mole.

And, had they asked, I might have complained that the chile Colorado tasted like beef tossed in burnt barbecue sauce; that the frozen carrots and lima beans strewn throughout the rice were completely unnecessary and distracting. But that the refried beans were oh-so-velvety and delicious.

Had they asked I would have ordered dessert. The part of me that wasn’t stuffed wanted to try El Tarasco’s churros and its flan. But what I got instead was the check, left at the table without a word, right next to my empty glass of water.

El Tarasco’s servers are selling this place short. My bills never topped $40. Another round of margaritas and Negro Modelos, and a few plates of dessert would have meant 50 percent more revenue.

El Tarasco doesn’t need magic. But a little attention to detail would go a long way.

Jean Le Boeuf is the nom de plume of a local food lover who dines at The News-Press’ expense. Contact jleboeuf@news-press.com; facebook.com/JeanLeBoeufSWFL or @jeanleboeuf (Twitter).